The Sable antelope (Hippotragus niger) is an antelope which inhabits wooded savanna in East and Southern Africa. Local names for this species include swartwitpens (Afrikaans), kgama or phalafala (Sotho), mBarapi or palahala (Swahili), kukurugu, kwalat or kwalata (Tswana), ngwarati (Shona), iliza (Xhosa), impalampala (Zulu) and umtshwayeli (Ndebele).
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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FolivoreIn zoology, a folivore is a herbivore that specializes in eating leaves. Mature leaves contain a high proportion of hard-to-digest cellulose, less ...
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GraminivoreIn zoology, a graminivore (not to be confused with a granivore) is an herbivorous animal that feeds primarily on grass. Graminivory is a form of g...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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NomadicNomadic animals regularly move to and from the same areas within a well-defined range. Most animals travel in groups in search of better territorie...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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BrowsingBrowsing is a type of herbivory in which an herbivore (or, more narrowly defined, a folivore) feeds on leaves, soft shoots, or fruits of high-growi...
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PolygynyPolygyny is a mating system in which one male lives and mates with multiple females but each female only mates with a single male.
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HerdingA herd is a social grouping of certain animals of the same species, either wild or domestic. The form of collective animal behavior associated with...
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Dominance hierarchyA dominance hierarchy (formerly and colloquially called a pecking order) is a type of social hierarchy that arises when members of animal social gr...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe Sable antelope has a compact and robust build, characterized by a thick neck and tough skin. It has a well-developed and often upright mane on its neck, as well as a short mane on the throat. Its general coloration is rich chestnut to black. Females and juveniles are chestnut to dark brown, while males begin darkening and turn black after three years. However, in southern populations, females have a brown to black coat. Calves less than two months old are a light tan and show faint markings. The underparts, cheek, and chin are all white, creating a great contrast with the dark back and flanks. Long, white hairs are present below the eyes, and a wide, black stripe runs over the nose. Both sexes have ringed horns that arch backward. In females, these can reach 61-102 cm (24-40 in), while in males they are 81-165 cm (32-65 in) long.
Sable antelope live in the southern savannas of Africa from the southeastern part of Kenya, in eastern Tanzania, as well as Mozambique to Angola and in southern Zaire, mostly in the Miombo Woodland Zone. They prefer a mixture of grassland and savanna woodlands and avoid vast open lands where possible.
Sable antelope are diurnal but are less active during the heat of the day. Most antelope will travel about a mile each day, even less when it is the dry season. They live in herds numbering 10 to 30 individuals, typically females with their young with one male leader. Just a few of the most dominant mature males can obtain and hold territories, which they try to set up in the best feeding areas, because the better the feeding prospects, the more females will be attracted to the area. These animals are timid like most other antelope but will become aggressive, particularly the males, which can become dangerous if attacked or approached. When Sable antelope are threatened by predators, including lions, they confront them, using their scimitar-shaped horns. Many of these big cats have died during such fights.
Sable antelope are herbivorous (folivorous, graminivorous) animals. They are specialized browsing animals and feed upon foliage, leaves, medium-length grass, and herbs, especially those growing on termite mounds. The leaves of trees provide 90% of their diet. They also visit salt licks and have been known to chew bones to collect minerals.
Sable antelope are polygynous. Dominant males defend groups of females and their foraging territory, which can extend 300 to 500 meters from the herd. The dominant males vigorously defend the females in their harem against intruding males. The breeding season extends from May to July. The gestation period is around 9 months and a single calf is born, which is then left hidden in the bush or tall grass. The mother returns once or twice each day to suckle her young. In a couple of weeks, the calf will be strong enough to join the herd. Weaning occurs 6 months after birth. Breeding for females starts at 2.5 years old and for males at 5 years old.
Humans are the Sable antelope’s only real threat. The Giant sable antelope subspecies is listed as endangered because of trophy hunting and habitat loss. Studies show that malnutrition, disease, and habitat quality also have limited Sable antelope numbers.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total Sable antelope population size is around 75,000 individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) and its numbers today remain stable.
Sable antelope assist in cycling plant/grass nutrients into further areas. The young serve as prey for large predators.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...